TENNIS LEADERS MEET AT THE 2016 AUSTRALIAN OPEN AND TALK OF ANTI CORRUPTION AND GETTING TOUGH ON THE OFFENDERS, & A SUMMARY OF THE DAYS TENNIS

Written by: Staff on 27th January 2016

TENNIS LEADERS MEET AT THE 2016 AUSTRALIAN OPEN AND TALK OF ANTI CORRUPTION AND GETTING TOUGH ON THE OFFENDERS, & A SUMMARY OF THE DAYS TENNIS

epa05127946 (L-R) President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) David Haggerty, Tennis Integrity Board Chairman Philip Brook, and executive chairman and president of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Chris Kermode, speak during a joint press conference at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 27 January 2016. Governing bodies of tennis have announced on 27 January an independent review into their anti-corruption unit following recent allegations regarding international tennis match fixing emerged after an aired joint Buzzfeed BBC report last week. EPA/SAM MOOY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Talk of the day – the Tennis Anti-Corruption programme came in for another hit today, prompting a press conferernce about an Independent Review headed by leading sports barrister Adam Lewis QC. The Governing bodies have rallied quickly to address the public perceptions about yet another sports governing body being investigated.

Unlike the press conference at the start of the tournament, questions were asked and answered in a lot more depth than on the opening day. But whether this show of unity helps to make Tennis’ Anti-Corruption programme any clearer to all concerned is anyone’s guess.

Now – on with the sport and the first two quarter-finals belonged to the ladies. And what stories they were. First up, the hot favourite to sweep the board based on her form was Victoria Azarenka, against a player who she had managed to close down every time they met. But it was an unusually timid start from Azarenka and Angelique Kerber took full advantage – at least until Azarenka started to find some range.

The nerves flying about as a four love lead was quickly caught up, and for a lot of the time it looked as though Azarenka would just play herself back in to things, yet somehow the German clung on for the first set.

Angelique Kerber of Germany in action against Victoria Azarenka of Belarus during their quarter final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 27 January 2016. EPA/FILIP SINGER

Kerber, who had been talking about her super-secret-strategy just held her nerve,. Took her chances, and for once had the self-belief was there.

She said afterwards: “I served very well and was moving good. I think the key from this match was that I was playing and I won the match. She doesn’t lose it; I actually won it.”

Next for Kerber Is going to be one of the fairytales of this year’s Australian Open.

On the one hand, there was Johanna Konta who has never even made it into the main draw of the Australian Open, much less any level of semi-final, versus Zhang Shuai, who had never won a first round in a major in 15 attempts.

The Brit (who the Aussies are trying to claim as one of their own, seeing as she was born in Sydney) started strongly, but the level of fight and passion from both girls was evident from the word go. With Konta the feeling is she is trying to focus her mind, and Zhang’s self-belief after some amazing wins saw some amazing fight between them for the honour of walking out to their first semi-final.

The Win went to Konta – her measured serving, deep groundstrokes and ability to keep calm saw her through to a convincing 6-4 6-1 win, and another of Jo Durie’s milestones reached.

She said: “I’m very proud with how I was able to just keep focus and just keep going. You know, I didn’t feel I did much wrong. She definitely raised her level and made me work for it. It was a great battle to be a part of.”

Andy Murray joined Konta in the last four when he out-gunned David Ferrer in a day where they were just as confused about the weather as we were. David was told to warm up indoors, then went out to baking sun and outdoors, before some awfully bad tempered clouds came and forced the roof shut – something which agitated the Spaniard somewhat as Murray explained.

“Personally, I wanted to serve the next game and try and get through another service game. It’s not easy for either player to stop at that stage, but I think obviously I played him indoors pretty recently, twice, in Paris and at the O2, and won.

“For him, I don’t know if he was thinking it was a disadvantage maybe, possibly, at that stage. But it’s not easy for either player going from indoors to outdoors.

“I think the quality of tennis went up when we went indoors, in my opinion. Better rallies. It was tricky conditions outdoors today. Pretty windy out there and not a consistent breeze. So a lot of unforced errors.”

Gael Monfils would face the one player from the chasing pack who could actually be a real contender here. Both players had reached the semi-finals of a Slam at least once, so it was not necessarily experience that was going to be the deciding factor here.

Gael Monfils of France plays a shot against Milos Raonic of Canada during their quarter final match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 27 January 2016. EPA/LYNN BO BO

Monfils, bandaged up around his fingers and still the talk of the photographers pit with that leap looked a little subdued to begin with, but soon exerted the kind of flair we know he is capable of to level the match.

Raonic hit back with the kind of confidence that is becoming commonplace for the Canadian, edging forward with an early break in the third set and staying in the lead, and it really was an exercise in minimalism. A single break in the fourth was all he needed to set up a semi-final clash with Murray, 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-4.

With so many distractions on the Murray mind with everything that happened to father-in-law Nigel Sears and Murray baby pending, Raonic may well get that crack at the title.

Topics: 10sballs.com, 2016 Australian Open, Andy Murray, Angelique Kerber, Atp World Tour, David Ferrer, Gael Monfils, Johanna Konta, milos raonic, Shuai Zhang, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta

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